Harvester Heads Market

A harvester head is a part of a heavy forestry vehicle that is used for logging operations for de-limbing, felling, and bucking trees. A forest harvester typically comes with a forwarder that hauls the logs to a roadside lading. These are highly specialized tools that require careful maintenance. A harvester head consists of a hydraulically powered chain saw that cuts trees and their bases to cross-cut them into log length. De-limbing knives are employed to remove braches of trees. Feed rollers play an important role in grasping of trees. Diameter sensors and length-measuring wheels are used to measure dimensions and calculate the volume of harvested logs.

Global Harvester Heads Market – Competition Landscape

The global harvester heads market is moderately concentrated, with the presence of a very few global players as well small players in the marketplace. Key players operating in the market are typically those with vast experience in the field of heavy equipment machineries. Major players are highly concentrated in the market in North America and Europe. They operate across the globe through their dealer networks. 

John Deere

John Deere is the brand name of Deere & Company, a U.S.-based corporation specialized in the manufacture of agricultural, construction and forestry machinery. The company provides H412, H413, H414, H415, H480C, and H270 series of harvester heads.

Loggtech AB

Established in the year 1994, the company provides harvester heads to the forestry sector. The company has dealers in Canada and the U.K.

AFM-Forest Ltd

AFM-Forest Ltd. is a Finland-based manufacturing company that offers high-quality single-grip harvesters, processors, and combi and energy wood heads for use in forestry operations. Apart from this, the company provides various software solutions for use in forestry operations.

Tigercat International Inc.

Established in 1992, Tigercat International Inc. is specialized in the production of forestry equipment and off-road industrial equipment. Headquartered in Brantford, Canada, the company manufactures tree-length and cut-to-length (CTL) systems. Tigercat offers a wide range of feller bunchers, skidders, loaders, loggers, harvesters, forwarders, and felling and processing attachments.

Southstar Equipment Ltd

Established in 2008, Southstar Equipment Ltd. is a prominent manufacturer of forestry equipment. The company offers harvesting heads, felling heads, and grapple processors. The company has presence in North America, South America, and parts of Europe and Africa.

Other Prominent Players

Other players engaged the manufacture of harvester heads include Log Max AB, Barko Hydraulics LLC, Kone-Ketonen Oy, Kesla Oyj, and SP Maskiner i Ljungby AB 

Global Harvester Heads Market – Dynamics

Rising demand for increasing productivity of forest harvesting to boost demand for efficient harvester heads

Rising challenges in terms of increasing productivity by raising the speed of the cutting cycle is augmenting the demand for new and advanced harvester heads. Manufacturers are coming up with various customizations in order to improve de-limbing, felling, and bucking of trees located in various geographical terrains. This is anticipated to boost the global harvester heads market during the forecast period. 

Growing environment-related concerns led by increased deforestation to restrain global harvester heads market

Increase in global warming led by rise in deforestation is one of the key factors restraining the global harvester heads market. Loss of forest is resulting in climate change, desertification, soil erosion, floods, and increased levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This, in turn, is leading to rise in global warming. Governments and various NGOs worldwide are raising concerns regarding increase in deforestation. This is anticipated to restrain of the global harvester heads market during the forecast period.

Global Harvester Heads Market – Segmentation

In terms of feed speed, the global harvester heads market can be divided into:

• Less than 5 m/sec
• More than 5 m/sec 

Based on number of de-limbing knives, the global harvester heads market can be classified into:

• Three and below
• Between 3 to 5
• More than 5